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==Plot==
==Plot==
Kenji "Ken" Sato, a professional but egotistical [[baseball]] player, returns to his native home in [[Japan]], switching teams from the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] to Japan's Giants; reporter Ami Wakita attributes his sudden career swap to rumored unfinished family business. In reality, Ken returns to Japan to battle ''kaiju'' (giant monsters) as the giant superhero [[Ultraman]], a mantle he reluctantly accepts from his elderly father, Professor Sato. Ken leaves a press conference early to battle the monster Neronga in Tokyo. Unable to defeat the beast in time due to low energy, the Kaiju Defense Force (KDF) neutralize Neronga as Ultraman retreats and transforms back to Ken.
Kenji "Ken" Sato, a professional but egotistical [[baseball]] player, returns to his native home in [[Japan]], despite being on the verge of a championship win. Reporter Ami Wakita attributes his sudden career swap to rumored unfinished family business. In reality, Ken is returning to Japan to battle ''kaiju'' (giant monsters) as the giant superhero [[Ultraman]], a mantle he reluctantly accepts from his father, Professor Sato. Ken leaves a press conference early to battle the monster Neronga. Unable to defeat it in time due to low energy, the Kaiju Defense Force (KDF) neutralize Neronga as Ultraman retreats and transforms back to Ken.


Later, Ken watches the Neronga battle on the news and feels under-appreciated after citizens complain over the new Ultraman's lack of empathy over collateral damage. Ken vents that Ultraman was imposed upon him by his father and reminisces about his mother Emiko, who's gone missing recently. Dr. Onda, the KDF's Chief Officer who harbors a grudge against Ultraman and ''kaiju'', monitors a transport team delivering a top secret package. However, they are pursued by the winged bird-like ''kaiju'' Gigantron. The monster attacks the transport team during one of Ken's games, forcing Ken to abandon his post and transform into his alter ego. Ultraman tries to reason with Gigantron but both are blasted out of the sky by the KDF. Gigantron loses consciousness on top of the package, which is revealed to be an egg. An infant Gigantron immediately hatches, forcing Ultraman to take her with him before the KDF kill her.
Later, Ken watches the Neronga battle on the news and feels under-appreciated after citizens complain over the new Ultraman's lack of empathy over collateral damage. Ken vents that Ultraman was imposed upon him by his father and reminisces about his mother Emiko, who's gone missing recently. Dr. Onda, the KDF's Chief Officer who harbors a grudge against Ultraman and ''kaiju'', monitors a transport team delivering a secret package. However, they are pursued by the winged bird-like ''kaiju'' Gigantron. The monster attacks the transport team during one of Ken's games, forcing him to abandon his post and transform. Ultraman tries to reason with Gigantron but both are blasted out of the sky by the KDF. Gigantron loses consciousness on top of the package, which is revealed to be an egg. An infant Gigantron immediately hatches, forcing Ultraman to take her with him before the KDF kill her.


The baby imprints on Ken/Ultraman as her parent, forcing Ken to raise the baby, named Emi after Ken's mother, along with his [[artificial intelligence|A.I.]] assistant Mina. Unwilling to accept his father's help due to their estranged relationship, Ken struggles with his career and personal life as he attempts to raise Emi. One night, the stress of his parental duties leads him to reach out to Ami, a parent herself. Ami acknowledges that parenthood is not easy but children could prove to be rewarding and surprising. Over time, Ken grows emotionally attached to Emi and teaches her how to play baseball.
The baby imprints on Ken/Ultraman as her parent. With the help of his [[artificial intelligence|A.I.]] assistant Mina, Ken reluctantly raises the baby, named Emi after Ken's mother. Unwilling to accept his father's help due to their estranged relationship, Ken struggles with his career and parental duties. One night, the stress leads him to reach out to Ami, a parent herself. Ami acknowledges that parenthood is not easy but children could prove to be rewarding and surprising. Over time, Ken grows emotionally attached to Emi and teaches her how to play baseball. One night, Ken is forced to drop out of a follow-up interview with Ami due to Emi escaping and running around Tokyo. Recognizing Emi as the asset from the missing package, Onda demands Ultraman to hand her over. Ultraman refuses and accidentally injures Emi's shoulder while trying to save her. Ultraman/Ken takes Emi home and finally contacts his father for help. Sato succeeds in healing Emi and aides Ken in raising the baby.


⚫
Onda reveals to the KDF's Captain his plan to exploit Emi's echolocation to find the undiscovered ''kaiju'' island and destroy all monsters. Onda justifies this as a means to an end to protect humanity, after Onda's own family perished during a ''kaiju''/Ultraman incident. At a family cabin, Ken and Sato reconcile their relationship, now that Ken understands the struggle of being both a parent and Ultraman. However, Emi enters a pupal stage as the KDF find them and attack the cabin, injuring Sato. Ken manages to place his father in a healing tube back home and Emi hatches from her cocoon, now sporting wings. Emi hears the calls of her birth mother across Tokyo Bay and flies towards the sounds.
One night, Ken is forced to drop out of a follow-up interview with Ami due to Emi escaping and running around Tokyo. Recognizing Emi as the asset from the missing package, Onda demands Ultraman to hand over the baby. Ultraman refuses and accidentally injures Emi's shoulder while trying to save her from the KDF. Ultraman/Ken takes Emi home and, worried about her injury, is forced to ask his father for help. Prof. Sato succeeds in healing Emi and aides Ken in raising the baby.


⚫
The KDF soon destroy Ken's home, destroying Mina and his father's tube disappearing into the sea. Ultraman tracks Emi to the middle of the Bay where they both encounter a mechanized Gigantron. Ultraman battles Mecha-Gigantron but stops when he notices flesh beneath the metal; realizing it's not a machine but the original, still alive, with armor plating. However, Ultraman exceeds his energy and transforms back to Ken but is saved by his father in Ultra form, Ultradad. Emi manages to break the KDF's control over Gigantron. Onda evacuates personnel and transforms a KDF Destroyer craft into a giant mecha. Piloting the mech, Onda blames Ultradad for the death of his family. The two Ultras and ''kaiju'' succeed in defeating Onda's mech, but he triggers a self destruct sequence. Ultraman forms a barrier encircling him and the mecha; Onda watches videos of his family one last time before the detonation.
⚫
Onda reveals to the KDF's Captain his plan to exploit Emi's echolocation to find the undiscovered ''kaiju'' island and destroy all monsters. Onda justifies this as a means to an end to protect humanity, after Onda's own family perished during a ''kaiju'' battle with Ultraman. At a family cabin, Ken and Prof. Sato reconcile their relationship, now that Ken understands the struggle of being both a parent and Ultraman. However, Emi enters a pupal stage as the KDF track their location and attack the cabin, injuring Prof. Sato in the process. Ken manages to place his father in a healing tube back home and Emi hatches from her cocoon, now sporting wings. Emi hears the calls of her birth mother across the sea and, against Ken's wishes, flies towards the sounds.


⚫
Later, Ami finally interviews Ken, having survived and now sporting an injured shoulder. Ami notes that Ken has matured recently and Ken attributes it to his family. He shares a voicemail from his mother that expresses her hopes of Ken reconciling with his father and that their decisions as parents came from a place of love in preparations for the challenges ahead of him. Ken and Sato succeed in finding ''kaiju'' island, with the help of Emi and Gigantron.
⚫
The KDF soon destroy Ken's home, destroying Mina and his father's tube disappearing into the sea. Using the same tracking device that the KDF placed on Emi, Ultraman tracks her to the middle of the Bay where they both encounter a mechanized version of Gigantron. Ultraman engages Mecha-Gigantron in battle and right before landing the killing blow, notices flesh beneath the metal; realizing Mecha-Gigantron is not a machine but the original, still alive, with armor plating. However, Ultraman exceeds his energy and transforms back to Ken but is saved by his father in Ultra form, Ultradad. Emi manages to get through to Gigantron, escaping her control from the KDF. Onda evacuates personnel and transforms a KDF Destroyer craft into a giant mecha. Piloting the mecha, Onda blames Ultradad for the death of his family. The two Ultras and ''kaiju'' succeed in defeating Onda's mecha, but he triggers a self destruct sequence. Ultraman forms a barrier encircling him and Onda's mecha; Onda watches videos of his family one last time before the detonation.

⚫
Later, Ami finally interviews Ken, having survived and now sporting an injured shoulder. Ami notices that Ken has changed much recently and Ken attributes it to his family. He shares a voicemail from his mother that expresses her hopes of Ken reconciling with his father and that their decisions as parents came from a place of love in preparations for the challenges ahead of him. Ken and Prof. Sato succeed in finding ''kaiju'' island, with the help of Emi and Gigantron.


In a mid-credits scene, Emiko contacts Ken for help, revealing that she is stuck on Ultraman's home planet Nebula M78.
In a mid-credits scene, Emiko contacts Ken for help, revealing that she is stuck on Ultraman's home planet Nebula M78.

Revision as of 20:10, 22 June 2024

Ultraman: Rising
Kenji Sato (seen as Ultraman), attempts to stop the baby Kaiju who is seen blasting a laser beam as citizens of Tokyo run away from the Kaiju. The film's tagline on top reads "Big Hero. Bigger Responsibility."
Official release poster
Japanese name
Kanjiウルトラマン: ライジング
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnUrutoraman: Raijingu
Directed byShannon Tindle
  • John Aoshima
Written by
  • Shannon Tindle
  • Marc Haimes
Based onUltraman
by Tsuburaya Productions
Produced by
  • Tom Knott
  • Lisa M. Poole
Starring
CinematographyJohn Bermudes
Edited byBret Marnell
Music byScot Stafford
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • June 12, 2024 (2024-06-12) (Annecy Festival)
  • June 14, 2024 (2024-06-14) (Worldwide)
Running time
117 minutes[1]
Countries
  • United States
  • Japan
LanguageEnglish

Ultraman: Rising (Japanese: ウルトラマン: ライジング, Hepburn: Urutoraman: Raijingu) is a 2024 animated superhero film based on Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman franchise. A Japanese-American co-production between Netflix Animation and Tsuburaya Productions, with animation by Industrial Light & Magic, it is the 44th film in the franchise. Directed by Shannon Tindle (in his feature directorial debut), who co-wrote it with Marc Haimes, and John Aoshima, the film stars Christopher Sean as Ken Sato/Ultraman, alongside the voices of Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman.

Ultraman: Rising was released worldwide on Netflix on June 14, 2024. The film has received positive reviews from critics who praised the film's animation, writing, and voice performances (particularly Sean's).

Plot

Kenji "Ken" Sato, a professional but egotistical baseball player, returns to his native home in Japan, despite being on the verge of a championship win. Reporter Ami Wakita attributes his sudden career swap to rumored unfinished family business. In reality, Ken is returning to Japan to battle kaiju (giant monsters) as the giant superhero Ultraman, a mantle he reluctantly accepts from his father, Professor Sato. Ken leaves a press conference early to battle the monster Neronga. Unable to defeat it in time due to low energy, the Kaiju Defense Force (KDF) neutralize Neronga as Ultraman retreats and transforms back to Ken.

Later, Ken watches the Neronga battle on the news and feels under-appreciated after citizens complain over the new Ultraman's lack of empathy over collateral damage. Ken vents that Ultraman was imposed upon him by his father and reminisces about his mother Emiko, who's gone missing recently. Dr. Onda, the KDF's Chief Officer who harbors a grudge against Ultraman and kaiju, monitors a transport team delivering a secret package. However, they are pursued by the winged bird-like kaiju Gigantron. The monster attacks the transport team during one of Ken's games, forcing him to abandon his post and transform. Ultraman tries to reason with Gigantron but both are blasted out of the sky by the KDF. Gigantron loses consciousness on top of the package, which is revealed to be an egg. An infant Gigantron immediately hatches, forcing Ultraman to take her with him before the KDF kill her.

The baby imprints on Ken/Ultraman as her parent. With the help of his A.I. assistant Mina, Ken reluctantly raises the baby, named Emi after Ken's mother. Unwilling to accept his father's help due to their estranged relationship, Ken struggles with his career and parental duties. One night, the stress leads him to reach out to Ami, a parent herself. Ami acknowledges that parenthood is not easy but children could prove to be rewarding and surprising. Over time, Ken grows emotionally attached to Emi and teaches her how to play baseball. One night, Ken is forced to drop out of a follow-up interview with Ami due to Emi escaping and running around Tokyo. Recognizing Emi as the asset from the missing package, Onda demands Ultraman to hand her over. Ultraman refuses and accidentally injures Emi's shoulder while trying to save her. Ultraman/Ken takes Emi home and finally contacts his father for help. Sato succeeds in healing Emi and aides Ken in raising the baby.

Onda reveals to the KDF's Captain his plan to exploit Emi's echolocation to find the undiscovered kaiju island and destroy all monsters. Onda justifies this as a means to an end to protect humanity, after Onda's own family perished during a kaiju/Ultraman incident. At a family cabin, Ken and Sato reconcile their relationship, now that Ken understands the struggle of being both a parent and Ultraman. However, Emi enters a pupal stage as the KDF find them and attack the cabin, injuring Sato. Ken manages to place his father in a healing tube back home and Emi hatches from her cocoon, now sporting wings. Emi hears the calls of her birth mother across Tokyo Bay and flies towards the sounds.

The KDF soon destroy Ken's home, destroying Mina and his father's tube disappearing into the sea. Ultraman tracks Emi to the middle of the Bay where they both encounter a mechanized Gigantron. Ultraman battles Mecha-Gigantron but stops when he notices flesh beneath the metal; realizing it's not a machine but the original, still alive, with armor plating. However, Ultraman exceeds his energy and transforms back to Ken but is saved by his father in Ultra form, Ultradad. Emi manages to break the KDF's control over Gigantron. Onda evacuates personnel and transforms a KDF Destroyer craft into a giant mecha. Piloting the mech, Onda blames Ultradad for the death of his family. The two Ultras and kaiju succeed in defeating Onda's mech, but he triggers a self destruct sequence. Ultraman forms a barrier encircling him and the mecha; Onda watches videos of his family one last time before the detonation.

Later, Ami finally interviews Ken, having survived and now sporting an injured shoulder. Ami notes that Ken has matured recently and Ken attributes it to his family. He shares a voicemail from his mother that expresses her hopes of Ken reconciling with his father and that their decisions as parents came from a place of love in preparations for the challenges ahead of him. Ken and Sato succeed in finding kaiju island, with the help of Emi and Gigantron.

In a mid-credits scene, Emiko contacts Ken for help, revealing that she is stuck on Ultraman's home planet Nebula M78.

Voice cast

Characters English[2] Japanese[3]
Kenji "Ken" Sato / Ultraman Christopher Sean Yuki Yamada
Professor Sato / Ultradad Gedde Watanabe Fumiyo Kohinata
Mina / Emiko Sato Tamlyn Tomita Ayumi Tsunematsu
Dr. Onda Keone Young Fumihiko Tachiki
Ami Wakita Julia Harriman Akari Hayami
Ami's Mother Karen Muruyama Hiroko Sakurai
Captain Aoshima Lee Shorten Takaya Aoyagi
Coach Shimura Artt Butler Nan Dadian
Ito Francois Chau
Kubo Robert Yasumura
Chiho Mila O'Malley
Mrs. Onda Brittany Ishibashi
Akiko Veronica Lapke
Bunny (Ollie) Jonathan Groff

Frank Buckley, Artt Butler, Vic Chao, Francois Chau, Brittany Ishibashi, Paul Nakauchi, Bret Marnell, and Jon Ohye provide additional voices.

Production

The film, inspired by the character of the same name, originally began as an original idea developed by director Shannon Tindle.[4] He conceived it while working as a character designer on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends in the mid-to-late 2000s.[5] Tindle further developed the film, writing a script and creating art at Sony Pictures Animation from 2016 to 2018; at the time, the plot would have followed "a billionaire forced to grow up when he takes on the orphaned children of his former foe."[6][7] After leaving Sony, Tindle moved to Netflix Animation to produce the live-action/animation hybrid series Lost Ollie with fellow Sony Animation director Peter Ramsey, where he had the opportunity to repurpose the plot for his film to fit with the Ultraman IP.

The project was announced as a Netflix exclusive in May 2021, with Tindle to direct and co-write the film with Marc Haimes (Tindle and Haimes previously co-wrote Kubo and the Two Strings), Tom Knott to produce, Lisa Poole to co-produce, John Aoshima to co-direct, and Industrial Light & Magic to animate the film.[8] In July 2022, Netflix released an image teasing the film's animation style and Ultraman design.[9]

Release

In October 2023, Tindle shared via Twitter a first-look image of Ultraman and the film's official title, Ultraman: Rising, teasing an announcement for Geeked Week 2023.[10] In November 2023, the film's voice cast and first trailer were unveiled during Geeked Week 2023, targeting a 2024 release on Netflix.[11][2] Ultraman: Rising premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 12, 2024.[12] It was followed by its worldwide release on Netflix on June 14, 2024.[13]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 45 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.10/10. The website's consensus reads: "Ultraman: Rising adds an interesting wrinkle of childrearing to the franchise's high-octane formula, making for a colorful romp fit for the whole family."[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ Animation services.

References

  1. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (May 16, 2024). "Ken Sato Becomes a Superpowered Kaiju Babysitter in New 'Ultraman: Rising' Trailer". Collider. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Dominguez, Noah (November 9, 2023). "Ultraman: Rising Teaser Trailer Reveals the Superhero Movie's Voice Cast". SuperHeroHype. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "ULTRAMAN: RISING Coming Worldwide on June 14! New Key Art and Trailer Released! | Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd". Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd - ULTRAMAN Series. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  4. ^ Tindle, Shannon (May 13, 2021). "Thanks to the trust of @TsuburayaGlobal and Netflix, an idea inspired by Ultraman became an Ultraman film. The little boy who ran around crossing his arms and blasting his parents with the Specium Beam can't believe this is happening!". Twitter. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Tindle, Shannon (May 13, 2021). "Mr. McCracken was one of the first to believe waaaaay back on Foster's:)". Twitter. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Rianda, Michael (May 14, 2021). "I read the script and saw the art that @ShannonTindle_1 made years ago at Sony and IT IS A CLUB BANGER. The art+script are great and there's an incredible team assembled to pull it off! I seriously can't wait to watch it! GET HYPED!". Twitter. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Richford, Rhonda (June 15, 2017). "Annecy: Sony Animation Boss Teases New Films, Talks Smurf Misstep: 'It Tanked'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  8. ^ Vary, Adam (May 13, 2021). "Netflix Developing 'Ultraman' Animated Feature With All-New Story (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Whitbrook, James (July 5, 2022). "Netflix's Ultraman Movie Looks Ultra-Stylish". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Valdez, Nick (October 18, 2023). "Ultraman Rising First Sneak Peek Released". Comicbook.com. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  11. ^ Massoto, Erick (November 9, 2023). "It's Kaiju Vs. Baseball Star in 'Ultraman Rising' Trailer". Collider. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Desowitz, Bill (April 22, 2024). "Netflix Will Premiere 'Ultraman: Rising' at Annecy Animation Festival". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Mishra, Shrishty (February 29, 2024). "Ken Sato Adopts a Baby Kaiju in New 'Ultraman: Rising' Poster". Collider. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  14. ^ "Ultraman: Rising". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  15. ^ "Ultraman: Rising". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
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